Endoscqpic tube and obturator therefor



O 1938. F. c, WAPPLER' 2,131,924

ENDOSCOPIC TUBE AND OBTURATOR THEREFOR Filed April 13, 1935 INVENTOR,

[104w Wanda;

ATT RNEY.

Patented Oct. 4, 1938 ENDOSGGPIG TUBE AND OBTURATOE THEREFOR? Frederick Charles Wappler, New YorlgN. Y. Application April 13, 1935, Serial Nor. l.6,112

8 Claims... My'present invention relates generally to surgical instruments; and has particular reference 1 to the obturating ofendoscopi'ctubes'. I

, The-primary function of an obturator isto plug the fenestra efa tube in such=a mannerthat the tube may be safely inserted into a body cavity without likelihood 'of injury; This requires that the fenestrabe pluggedby an obturator headhaving a uniqueconfiguration' accurately fitting the fenestra andtube and presenting an exposed sur face which forms a smooth continuation of the wallsof the tube,

This accurate fit of the obturator, however, gives rise to a disadvantagewhich'manif'e'sts itself afterthe instrument is in position and when the obturator is ready to be removed. It has been found that the withdrawal of theobturator produces an effect akin to that which a plunger of a'pump produces; Regardless of the care with which the obturator is withdrawn, a suction effect is produced which is extremely painful to the patient. i

It is a general object ofmy present invention to provide a fenestrated endoscopic tube, together with an obturator therefor, which avoids this disadvantage, while at the same time permitting the fenestra to be just as adequately plugged, from the standpoint of safety of insertion, as heretofore. i

Briefly, it is a: feature of my invention to provide an arrangement whereby the obturated instrument is vented, and whereby the withdrawal of the obturator i's unaccompanied by the painful, and sometimes harmful, suction effect hereinbefore alluded. to.

More particularly, my present invention provides an obturator head which hasa longitudinal venting channel therein. This channel is preferably provided inthe rear surface of the ob- .turator head, and communicateslat its rear end with the interior of the endoscopic tube, which may be maintained in communication with the outside atmosphere through the rear thereof, either through the petcocks, or otherwise:

In a preferred embodiment, theobturator head is provided, further, with-a transverse bore. which communicates with the venting channel, the open or outer end of" the bore being disposed: onv the outer surface of the obturator head in a manner 5.0 which does not impair thea'obturating. function.

Another method of carrying out the present purpose permits the transverse bore to be dispensed with, if desired, and provides a venting communication with the ventingchannel by a 55 predetermined structural cooperation between the forward end wall'of the obturator head and an oblique abutment wall provided on thetube itself. More specifically; one of these abutment walls is provided with a longitudinal concavity which communicates at the rear end with the venting channel in the obturator head, thereby establishing a condition which avoids the undesirable plunger effect.

I achieve the foregoing objects; and such other ob'jectsas may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, wherin- Figure lis a side view of the forward end of an endoscopic tube obturated'in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2'is side view'of the obturator head of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view' taken substantially along the line-3--3 of'Figure ZQ Figure 4 is a side view, partly in section; showing a modified method' of carrying out the present invention;

Figure dis a cross-sectional view" taken substantially along the line 5- 5 of Figure 4*;

Figure 6 isa perspectiveviewof the obturator head of Figure 4"; and

Figure l is a cross-sectional" view taken sub-- stantially along-the line 'l-J" ofFigure '6.

o In Figure 1-, I'haveishown byway of illustration an endoscopic tube i0 provided with' theoblique, elongated fenestra it, and with the upturned, rounded beak W. The obturaton for this tube consists of the shank I3. and the substantially cylindrical head Hi, the latter fitting snugly into iorwardportion of the'tube Wand having an outerysmoothly contoured surface i 5 which effectively plugs and obturates the fenestra: I i.

In accordance with my present invention, the rearsurface of the head, Mil. e1, thesurfiace remotefrom the exposed; surface it) is provided with a longitudinal: venting channel Hi. In the embodiment of Figures 1-3, this channel terminates, as at ll, short of the forward end or tip of the'obturator head.

Provided in a transverse direction is the addi tional bore l8 which extends through the head and which communicates with the forward portion of the channel Hi.

I The tube of Figure 1; when obturated; as shown,.by means of an.- obturator of thecharacter described and illustrated, may be safely introduced into the body, as heretofore. However, when the operator is ready to remove the obturator, he may do so without inflicting any pain upon the patient, because the plunger effect has been destroyed by the venting arrangement. In other words, no vacuum is produced, nor is there any such tendency, when the obturator head is withdrawn.

The exposed or outer opening of the bore I8 is too small to deprive the obturator of its primary ability to plug the fenestra II.

In Figure 4, I have shown a tube l9 with a beak at its forward end, the latter, in this case, carrying the electric lamp 2!. The fenestra is disposed laterally behind the beak 20 and the lamp 2|, and the rear edge is indicated by the reference numeral 22.

In this instrument, an oblique abutment wall 23 is provided across the tube behind the beak 20, and the obturator head 24 has an end wall 25 which is adapted to abut against the wall 23 when the obturator is in position. The head 24 is mounted upon a shank 26 and has an outer exposed surface 21 which is properly contoured to form a continuation of the wall of the tube. A shoulder 28 is usually provided which seats itself in front of the rear edge 22 of the fenestra.

In accordance with my invention, the head 24 is provided with the longitudinal venting channel 29 in its rear surface, but in this case this channel extends all the way to the end wall 25. One of the abutment walls (23 or 25) is provided with a longitudinal concavity. In the illustrated embodiment, I have shown the wall 23 provided with the concavity 30. This passageway communicates at the rear with the forward end of the channel 29, and thus provides a venting aperture which is effective for the purposes hereinbefore mentioned.

It is preferable to enhance the venting action by the provision of a transverse bore 3! which is similar to the bore H! of Figure 2 and which communicates with the channel 29 rearwardly of its forward end.

.The obturator head, by itself, is shown most clearly in Figure 6; and Figure 7 shows the transverse bore 3! and the manner in which it communicates with the channel 29.

In certain instances, the beak at the forward end of the tube may be angularly disposed in the opposite direction. It will be understood that my invention is applicable to such a construction in exactly the same manner as shown in Figure 4.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube having a lateral fenestra, an oblique abutment wall extending transversely across the tube at the forward end of the fenestra, an obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the forward portion of said tube, said head having an end wall adapted to abut against said oblique wall, a longitudinal venting channel in the rear surface of the obturator head, and a longitudinal concavity in one of said abutment walls defining a vent in communication with said channel when the obturator is in position.

2. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube having a lateral fenestra, an oblique abutment wall extending transversely across the tube at the forward end of the fenestra, an obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the forward portion of said tube, said head having an end wall adapted to abut against said oblique wall, a longitudinal venting channel in the rear surface of the obturator head, and a longitudinal concavity in said first-named oblique abutment wall defining a vent in communication with said channel when the obturator is in position.

3. In an instrument of the character described, an endoscopic tube having a lateral fenestra, an oblique abutment wall extending transversely across the tube at the forward end of the fenestra, an obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the forward portion of said tube, said head having an end wall adapted to abut against said oblique wall, a longitudinal venting channel in the rear surface of the obturator head, and a longitudinal concavity in one of said abutment walls defining a vent in communication with said channel when the obturator is in position, said obturator head having a transverse bore communicating with said channel and serving as an additional vent openmg.

4. An obturator for a fenestrated endoscopic tube, said obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the fenestrated portion of said tube, said head having a longitudinal venting channel in its rear surface.

5. An obturator for a fenestrated endoscopic tube, said obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the fenestrated portion of said tube, said head having a longitudinal venting channel and a transverse bore communicating therewith.

6. An obturator for a fenestrated endoscopic tube, said obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the fenestrated portion of said tube, said head having a longitudinal venting channel in its rear surface, and a. transverse bore communicating therewith.

'7. An obturator for a fenestrated endoscopic tube, said obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the fenestrated portion of said tube, said head having a longitudinal venting channel in its rear surface, said channel terminating short of the forward end of the obturator head, and a transverse bore through said head communicating with the forward portion of said channel.

8. An obturator for a fenestrated endoscopic tube, said obturator having a substantially cylindrical head adapted to plug the fenestrated portion of said tube, said head having a forward abutment wall and a longitudinal venting channel in its rear surface, said channel extending forwardly all the way to said wall, and a transverse bore through said head communicating with said channel behind its forward end.

FREDERICK CHARLES WAPPLER. 

